WC: How About Some Hardcode

WC has always stayed true to form when representing the West Coast. Since bursting onto the scene in ’89, the Compton veteran’s released material with Low Profile, Westside Connection and The Madd Circle. He’s still going strong on the solo tip as well, having recently released his fourth disc, Revenge of the Barracuda. Though Dub’s stayed true to his core, the game’s gone through a metamorphosis since his first offering with Low Profile, We’re In This Together, dropped 22 years ago. WC chopped it up with XXL about bringing back hardcore gangsta rap, his opinion take on the West Coast’s new skinny jeans-wearing MCs, and addresses rumors of Game replace Mack 10 in Westside Connection.— Yaya Martinez

XXLMag.com: What is the meaning behind the title, Revenge of the Barracuda?

WC: All bullshit aside it’s just another way of saying back to the hardcore. We called it Revenge of the Barracuda because the game is currently watered down so we need to bring it back to straight up hardcore gangster shit, bottom line. I just want to give everyone out there a hardcore West Coast gangster album. I have a lot of buddies from out of town as well as in these streets and a lot of them just want to see us do us on this side of town so that’s what I did with Revenge of the Barracuda.

XXL: History is kind of repeating itself with the mainstream rap and the underground music, don’t you think?

WC: I think it is, especially going back to the independent stages. The majors are forcing a lot of artists that want to get heard to go back indie. Do you remember a long time ago when the indie thing was a real bad look? You said “indie” and it was like a voodoo word. You remember that shit? I mean, when you went indie they made it a lot harder for you in a lot of these stores with distribution and product placement. It was fucked up. At the end of the day I’d rather own a percentage of a little bit than not own anything of a whole lot. You had a lot of artists sell a whole lot of records when it was good on these major labels, but they were getting fucked in the end. Once you’re in the business and you realize that ownership and owning your brand is more important than anything out here you’ll realize that indie is not a bad word. I try to tell the new artists all the time there’s nothing wrong with putting your own shit out and making yourself hot. Who gives a fuck if they play your shit on the radio or not. You beat the concrete up enough, they’ll come looking for you. You have to have a plan, though.